This invention relates to the field of medical devices, especially a catheter assembly.
A peripherally inserted catheter (PIC) is used for accessing a vascular system. PIC is a device used for a long term and repeated access to a patient""s vascular system for it avoids multiple injections and thus, minimizes trauma and pain to the patient. A PIC is often short and tends to move, at least slightly, into and out of the body leading to infections and frequent replacements.
Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) were designed to solve problems associated with PIC. A PICC is a much longer catheter and it is designed to be inserted percutaneously (through the skin) such that it reaches deep into the vascular system. A PICC is typically used to reach the superior vena cava of the heart to deliver treatment drugs. An example of a catheter reaching to the heart is shown in FIG. 1.
A PICC must be soft, pliable and bendable. In placing a PICC in the heart, one must be able to maneuver the PICC through tortuous venous paths and natural blockages. To facilitate in the inserting of a PICC into a patient, techniques for stiffening the catheter for insertion have been developed, such as a guidewire. A guidewire can be inserted within the catheter for stiffness during insertion and removed when insertion is successfully achieved.
One example of a guidewire for PICC insertion is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,961. In this method, a guidewire wrapped with coiled spring is inserted within a PICC. This method also contemplates a way to flush the PICC before, during, and after the insertion of the PICC into a patient so as to make such insertion of the PICC and the removal of the guidewire from the PICC easier and smoother.
Problems associated with such a guidewire include the fact that the guidewire is wrapped with a coiled spring. A coiled spring tends to damage the interior of a catheter. While a coiled spring may damage the interior of the catheter, it is needed in the prior art nevertheless, because according to the prior art, the coiled spring gives the guidewire shape and contour to facilitate the process of a PICC insertion.
Another problem associated with a guidewire of the prior art is that in order to ease the insertion of a PICC into a patient, flushing the catheter with fluid is necessary. Leakage is to ease one problem associated with flushing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,961 employed a three-way connector with one port dedicated to fluid injection to prevent leakage. However, a three-way connector is bulky and inconvenient.
To solve the problems associated with a guidewire of the prior art, the present invention provides apparatuses and methods for a flushable guide-tube to be used, in one exemplary embodiment, with a PICC.
In one exemplary embodiment, an apparatus of the present invention includes a catheter having two ends and a catheter and at least a lumen, which is surrounded by a catheter wall. A guide-tube is disposed within the catheter lumen to guide the insertion of the catheter into a patient. The guide-tube is hollow, and having at least a guide-tube lumen which is surrounded by a guide-tube wall. The dimension of the guide-tube is less than that of the catheter lumen.
In another exemplary embodiment, the method of inserting a catheter into a patient includes providing a catheter having two catheter ends and at least a catheter lumen, which is surrounded by a catheter wall. Inserting a hollow guide-tube into the catheter; the guide-tube further having two guide-tube ends, at least a guide-tube lumen which is surrounded by a guide-tube wall, and having a dimension which is less than a dimension of the catheter lumen. Disposing a first connector over the catheter. Disposing a second connector over the guide-tube. Disposing the guide-tube inside the catheter by coupling the second connector to the first connector. Attaching a syringe filled with a solution to the guide-tube. Threading the catheter having the guide-tube inserted therein into a patient. Flushing the guide-tube with the solution as necessary to achieve threading. Disconnecting the second connector from the first connector and withdrawing the guide-tube from the catheter when threading is achieved. Attaching a fluid drip line to the first connector as necessary.